President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy clash in the Oval Office (28 February 2025). Photo: White House.
With a federal election about to be called and the major party leaders going at each other on just about every front, it is heartening to see there is one important thing they agree on – Ukraine.
More specifically, Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton know Donald Trump and his sidekick JD Vance were egregiously out of line in the White House in the way they ambushed Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Both the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader have been willing to make that point.
Of course, they are being diplomatic with the words they are choosing.
No one wants to damage the relationship between Australia and the United States.
However, their words are clear nonetheless and add weight to the condemnation from around the world over the bullying that went down in the Oval Office last week.
And there is no clearer example of bullying.
Right in front of the cameras for all the world to see, the US President and his attack dog VP brought shame to the office with their awful chest-thumping display of disrespect towards the Ukrainian President.
Making it worse (as if it could have been any uglier) is that Ukraine is a US ally.
There is little doubt that many of the nasty duo’s American constituents were cheering them on.
Hopefully, more were embarrassed by the disgusting display from their leaders.
The rest of the civilised world was more than embarrassed.
They were outraged and appalled, as was evident in the number of immediate messages of support for Ukraine issued by world leaders.
In Australia, the PM has repeatedly offered strong words of support for Ukraine.
“We regard this as an issue of doing what is right but also what is in Australia’s national interests,” Mr Albanese said this week.
“The brave people of Ukraine, led so extraordinarily by President Zelenskyy, are fighting not just for their national sovereignty and their democracy, they are fighting for the international rule of law.
“It is an easy choice that Australia has made, a bipartisan position Australia’s had.
“We have contributed $1.5 billion of support, $1.3 billion of which is military support.”
No mention of Trump, but the message is clear – particularly the words “fighting for the international rule of law” and “an easy choice” for Australia.
Perhaps more intriguing is Mr Dutton’s willingness to ‘diplomatically’ condemn the use of the Oval Office for a bullyboy ambush.
The Opposition Leader has made it clear that he’s a fan of Donald Trump and has regularly praised the US President’s words and actions as visionary.
Not on this occasion.
Again, without expressly naming Trump or Vance, he displayed his unease over what they did.
“I was disappointed by the scenes at the White House and I believe that President Zelenskyy requires the support of the European countries and the US and countries like Australia as well,” Mr Dutton said.
“People have got short memories, and it’s not that long ago since the Second World War.
“When the PM says that we live in the most precarious period since the Second World War, he’s right, and what we know is that bullies don’t respect weakness.
“And we are going to stand up with like-minded countries in support of peace in Europe and make sure that Russia can feel the pressure of having to settle a deal quickly, so that Ukraine and her people can get on with a normal life as quickly as possible …
“In relation to Ukraine, the Australian view at the moment is different to the United States, and my job as prime minister will be to lobby the President of the United States to reconsider his position in relation to Ukraine, because I think it’s in all of our collective best interests if we’re able to provide support to Ukraine, and that’s something I’m dedicated to.”
These are strong words from both sides of Australian politics and offer hope that America will not always be blindly followed on every issue.
It is in Australia’s interests to maintain a healthy relationship with the US, and whoever is prime minister following the election will certainly be keeping that as a priority.
But it’s in no one’s interests to support thuggish behavior from the White House or it aligning itself with Russia’s imperialist agenda.
That Australia’s leaders have stood up and shown they won’t support it is one good thing to have emerged in the wake of that supremely disturbing display by Trump and Vance.
